Top Hiking areas in Banff, Canada

Easy & Fast Access, Free Parking

1.2 Km (¾ Mile) to:
> Banff Pedestrian Bridge
15-20 minute walk, 4 min drive

Close to area with Elk:
> Golf Course (C.C.W. Loop)
May-Nov only
> Tunnel MTN Rd

Nice drive to fall in a deep valley! Enjoyed stairs beside the river and fall. They made them special to get close at any point on the way. There were some boats for groups but didn’t see anyone use it. Passed through the city and castle in between. However, preferred to visit natural sceneries. Overall, suggested!

Bow Falls is a must-see when visiting Banff! We visited around 2 PM and were captivated by the stunning scenery. The waterfalls are impressive, with a powerful rush of water set against the backdrop of the majestic mountains. The viewpoints are well-placed, offering fantastic photo opportunities. The walking trails around the falls are perfect for a leisurely stroll, allowing you to fully appreciate the natural beauty of the area. Despite being a popular spot, it felt peaceful and serene. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Banff!

Only spent 1 night in Banff as I was passing through. Bow Falls Viewpoint is a perfect place to visit if you don't have a lot of time to hike but still want the views. Beautiful falls, loud but not to an extreme. There were people fishing on the other side of the falls, amazing. I came at around 4-6pm and the parking lot was pretty empty. By the time I left I was the only one left.

Beautiful! Absolutely mesmerising to feel the power of these waterfalls on our national parks. Too many people don't get it that the only these beautiful shots in the world won't stay that way if they don't respect them and do their part to take care of them. Litter does not belong in the rivers and parklands or anywhere in fact than in the trash receptacles you see everywhere. I can't count the number of times I've seen litter dropped within feet of one of these bins. Would the folks that do that do it on their own property? Somehow I doubt they would. Those beautiful parks and grassy areas are there for our pleasure and enjoyment to be shared by all. Please treat them like you would your own home. I'll be 74 in a couple of months and for the first time in my life I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Waterton Lakes National Park (which is the north end of the Glacier NB National Park in Montana) and Banff firsthand when I spent a month with my cousin in Calgary, Alberta recently instead of merely surfing pictures on the internet. The real thing is simply breathtaking!! ...pristine lakes, forests, wildlife that seem to know they have nothing to fear from the humans sharing the space for a few moments of time, majestic mountains that give you a while new perspective and make you realize how small and insignificant we humans truly are in the great scheme of our beautiful planet earth. I would recommend everyone to see these parks at least once in your life although I would guarantee once would not be enough. Both of these national parks offer so much as do all of the national parks of North America I would imagine. If you're into camping Waterton Lakes has an amazing campground. I would recommend you make any bookings for staying overnight or camping for a longer period in advance as the campground in Waterton is quite large but it was reasonably full considering we went to the park before the season was fully open. We did not camp there ourselves but only stayed overnight in one of the many lodges in the Waterton Lakes Village. If you add a trip to these parks to your life I promise you that it will be a trip you will never forget!

Super neat. No filter needed. We visited around Easter time so there was snow and icy spots on the ground still. The stairs are a bit icy. Be careful. Bring sunglasses because sunlightreflected from the snow is extreme. This place must be so beautiful in summer time

Even in the off season you will see a lot of tourists around the area.
Part of the creek was frozen, so I was able to get a better view. Such an amazing place just like all the beautiful insights Banff has to offer.

Checked it out from both sides of the river, the Fairmont side was mellow with just a couple sets of stairs and a good open meadow like area to view the river and falls. The East side was more adventurous with trails that you could view the river from above. Overall a good option for a 3ish mile (5k) hike/walk from downtown.